Beat it, Z!

The Cubs have suspended struggling, troubled and often over-emotional pitcher Carlos Zambrano indefinitely.

Upon being lifted after the first inning today against the White Sox, Baby Z had an altercation with 1B Derrick Lee (he let up 4 runs in the 1st).  His latest explosion came after he felt Lee and 3B Aramis Ramirez didn't dive for balls he thought they should have.  Well Carlos, maybe if the balls weren't smoked down the line, they'd have had a chance to react.

I mean things are bad in Cub-land.  Lee, a career .282 hitter, is batting a paltry .233 this year with 10 HR and 33 RBI.  Ramirez is struggling as well.  He returned to the lineup for the first time since June 7 at Pittsburgh (left thumb contusion).  He's also a career .282 hitter but is hitting .165 with 5 HR and 22 RBI this year.  They're 9 games under .500 and 4-6 over their past 10.  They have a manageable 3.91 ERA as a staff but are only hitting .257.  That formula won't amount to a good season for Cub fans.

With two big guns in the lineup along with an always excitable Big Z having poor seasons, Lou Piniella doesn't have much going right on the North Side.  I am going to say it ain't his fault, I like Lou.  My guess is old Carlos there doesn't.  But I'm sure the feeling is mutual - Piniella can get a 5.10 ERA and 4.5 BB/9 IP from any shlep in their system.

Zambrano is a baby, plain and simple.  He's a hot-head who has all the ability in the world, but carries the weight of the world on his shoulders (and he probably can, he's 6'5" 260 lbs.) 

The Cubs are 8.5 GB of the Cardinals.  They'll run out Carlos Silva (8-2, 3.01) tomorrow against "The Rock" Freddy Garcia (8-3, 4.85).  Should be a dandy on the South Side.

In the meantime, Carlos, stay home and take a hard look in the mirror, if you haven't thrown it out the window already.  You'll always be a lightning rod.  Grow up.

P.O.D.

Fireworks always have a way of putting people in a good mood, and with July 4th coming quick, why not use this as a little teaser. 

All these pictures for the P.O.D. are taken by me with my camera or my cell phone.

Hope you enjoy the new daily feature.

Shut out and Shutouts

I sincerely apologize to my loyal legion of followers (the three of you) for my lack of posting recently.  I have been busy with work and trying to find a new look for my blog spot.  I hope you can bear with me, I will be sure to make it up to you.

Heading over to the diamond, there has been an awful lot of shutouts lately in the MLB.  Thursday featured three (CWS 2 ATL 0 // MIL 5 MIN 0 // TOR 5 STL 0).  Wednesday night there were four (CIN 3 OAK 0 // KC 1 WSH 0 // STL 1 TOR 0 // NYM 5 DET 0).  Tuesday saw only one shutout (SEA 2 CHC 0).  That's eight shutouts in three days.  There have been 127 shutouts in the big leagues this year already, and we still have just over two weeks before the 2010 Midsummer Classic in Anaheim.

It is shaping up to be the "Year of the Pitcher".  More specifically, it's the year the NL West's pitching staffs are dominating baseball.  Four teams rank in the top 6 in shutouts - Padres and Rockies (9) lead the majors, and the Dodgers and Giants (6) are both tied for 3th. 

Breaking it down, 2009 and 2010, 1st Half statistics:
--2009 - 14 SP's with 80+ IP with ERA < 3.00
--2010 - 23 SP's with 80+ IP with ERA < 3.00

--2009 - 12 pitchers with 10+ wins pre-All-Star break.
--2010 - 23 with 8+ wins (2+ weeks before All-Star break)

--2009 - 24 pitchers with 80+ IP with WHIP < 1.20
--2010 - 30 pitchers with 80+ IP with WHIP < 1.20

--2009 - 32 hitters with 17+ HR (Albert Pujols, 32)
--2010 - 8 hitters with 17+ HR (Jose Bautista, 20)

--2009 - 16 hitters with 60+ RBI (Albert Pujols, 87)
--2010 - 1 hitter with 60+ RBI (Miguel Cabrera, 61)

Call 2010 the "Year of the Pitcher", I know it's still early, but I see no end to this dominance in sight.  The proof is in the numbers.  And with Stephen Strasburg on the scene tearing up opposing lineups like Nathan tears apart napkins, look out.

You think there's a coincidence that HR numbers are down since the Steroid Squad (McGwire, Canseco, Bonds, Sosa) stopped playing?  I think not.  Those guys are dirtbags - and not in a good way.  They ruined the way casual fans look at the game - me, I'm a professional fan.  (If there's such a thing)  These guys should get shut out of the Hall of Fame.  They're losers.  Scumbags.

Time for some dinner, gonna whip something up for LMD, Julia, and myself.  LMD is cleaning, I'm banned because all I do is get in the way.  Gonna go get some prosecco to mix with elder flower for the women, and some beers for myself.  The ladies can pretend they're high class.

Later!